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Sanju Samson has secured his place in India's playing XI for their Asia Cup clash in Dubai, despite speculation surrounding Shubman Gill's return and Tilak Varma's presence. India has strategically bolstered their batting lineup by including Shivam Dube and surprisingly excluding Arshdeep Singh. India won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Rishabh Pant is in a race against time to recover from a foot fracture sustained during the fourth Test against England. While he aims to return for the West Indies Test series starting October 2, his participation is uncertain. A more realistic return is expected for the ODI series against Australia, commencing October 19, as his recovery progresses.

Afghanistan started their Asia Cup campaign strongly, securing a 94-run victory against Hong Kong. Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai's explosive batting helped Afghanistan post a competitive total. Hong Kong's batting struggled against Afghanistan's disciplined bowling attack. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Gulbadin Naib led the bowling attack, restricting Hong Kong to a low score.

India, fresh off their T20 World Cup victory, are set to begin their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against hosts United Arab Emirates at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the defending champions aim for a record-extending ninth title. India holds a strong record with 24 wins since last year's global tournament.

There could be a toss-up between Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy for the specialist spinner’s role, while the part-time left-arm spin of Abhishek Sharma could come in handy. Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh are likely to share new-ball duties while Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube have been made to work on their bowling in the nets.

Shreyas Iyer disclosed a career-threatening back injury that led to paralysis in one leg and his subsequent omission from the BCCI's central contract list. Despite enduring excruciating pain and a year-long recovery after surgery, Iyer remains determined to regain his place in the Indian squad.

Azmatullah Omarzai's explosive fifty off just 20 balls propelled Afghanistan to a formidable total against Hong Kong in their Asia Cup opener. Omarzai's record-breaking innings, surpassing Mohammad Nabi's previous best, helped Afghanistan score 78 runs in the final five overs. Poor fielding from Hong Kong, including multiple dropped catches, further aided Afghanistan's late-innings surge.

Pakistan captain Salman Agha has given his fast bowlers the green light to be aggressive during the Asia Cup, emphasizing that aggression is inherent to their game. He stressed the importance of playing good cricket and aiming to win the tournament. Agha acknowledged India's strong Asia Cup record but believes any team can win in T20 cricket.

In Dubai, organisers strategically placed Afghanistan's Rashid Khan between India's Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha at the Asia Cup 2025 press conference. Yadav emphasized the importance of aggression for victory, while Agha left emotional regulation to his players. India, aiming for their ninth title, will face Pakistan on September 14.

Shreyas Iyer, fresh off leading Kolkata to an IPL title in 2024, surprisingly wasn't retained and was acquired by Punjab Kings for a hefty sum. He guided Punjab to the IPL final in 2025, crediting their support for his success. Despite a recent T20 Asia Cup snub, Iyer remains focused, now captaining India A.

Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel has revealed that wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been working hard on his bowling despite not getting a chance to play in England.

Pakistan defeated Afghanistan by 75 runs in the tri-series final, with Mohammad Nawaz's hat-trick being the highlight. Nawaz's impressive figures of 5-19 helped Pakistan dismiss Afghanistan for a mere 66 runs. Captain Salman Agha expressed confidence in the team's readiness for the upcoming Asia Cup, emphasising their strategic use of spinners and overall team performance.

Virender Sehwag revealed the emotional toll of India's losses to Pakistan, admitting they sometimes disrupted his focus. Despite averaging 50.65 against them, the frequent defeats affected him deeply. He fondly recalled his masterful 119 against Pakistan in 2008 while fasting, showcasing his determination. India is set to face Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.

Despite Sanju Samson's impressive domestic form in the Kerala Cricket League, his place in India's Asia Cup 2025 playing XI is uncertain due to Shubman Gill's return. Irfan Pathan suggests Samson could potentially replacing Jitesh Sharma, but highlighted that he needs to play lower down the batting order to do so.

India faced a disappointing start in the Super4s stage of the Asia Cup, drawing 2-2 with South Korea after leading early. Despite Hardik Singh's initial goal, South Korea surged ahead with two quick goals. Harmanpreet Singh's late assist to Mandeep Singh salvaged a draw, but India's poor finishing and missed penalty corners highlighted a lackluster performance.

Before the Pakistan-Afghanistan Tri-Series match in Sharjah, a minute's silence honored victims of Afghanistan's earthquake and Pakistan's floods. Players stood in respect as Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan shared his grief over the 6.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated eastern Afghanistan, killing hundreds and causing widespread destruction. The disaster prompted prayers and condolences from the cricketing world.

Asia Cup 2025 ticket sales have officially commenced on Platinumlist, offering fans a chance to secure their seats for the tournament in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Several package options are available, including group-stage matches, Super Four contests, and the final, alongside individual match tickets. The competition gets underway on September 9.

Jitesh Sharma scored only 261 runs in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) title-winning season, but it was not the runs that caught the selectors’ eyes, it was his 176.35 strike rate while batting at 6 and 7. Jitesh, who never had a coach, learnt cricket by watching YouTube videos of his childhood heroes Adam Gilchrist and Sourav Ganguly. Making a comeback into the Indian team at the age of 31 is as breathtaking as his cricketing sojourn.

India stormed into the Asia Cup Super 4s with a dominant 15-0 victory over Kazakhstan, marking their third consecutive win. Abhishek's four goals led the charge, supported by hat-tricks from Sukhjeet Singh and Jugraj Singh. China also advanced from Pool A, while Malaysia and Korea progressed from Pool B.

Sanju Samson is dominating the Kerala Cricket League 2025, silencing critics with four consecutive match-winning knocks for Kochi Blue Tigers. He has amassed 368 runs at a blistering strike rate of 186.80, including a century and three Player of the Match awards.